The Fall of Eben Emael Book Review
By Rachel E. Veres
| Date of Review | March 2013 | Title | The Fall of Eben Emael |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author | Chris McNab | Publisher | Osprey Publishing |
| Published | 2013 | ISBN | 9781780962610 |
| Format | 80 pages, softbound | MSRP (USD) | $18.95 |
Review
Here's another informative Osprey effort.
Author Chris McNab offers a superb account of Belgium's ostensibly impregnable Belgian-Dutch border fortress in The Fall of Eben Emael. With overlapping 75mm and 120 mm gun turrets dominating crucial bridges, conventional assaults were considered suicidal.
After a short preface recapping airborne troop development between the World Wars, subsequent segments explore Eben Emael's critical weaknesses and the innovative Nazi strategy for capturing it – deploying 90 elite Fallschirmjäger (paratroopers) onto the fortress's roof via gliders.
Historical photographs coupled with artwork by Peter Dennis propel readers into Germany's brief, but devastating battle with Belgian troops. Supplementary campaign maps and 3D BEV (Bird's Eye View) images complement the coverage.
Following analysis and conclusion sections, the author completes contents with a bibliography and index.
Decidedly recommended!
My sincere thanks to Osprey Publishing for this review sample!